davidnark Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 I hear that the announcement will be for a July or August groundbreaking...that the size will be closer to 10,000 than 13,000...and that offices and practice facilities will be included. My source is third hand but usually pretty on target. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenpais Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 Fr. Biondi came and spoke at SGA (student govt.) last wednesday and said pretty much the same thing - size somewhere in the 10,000-13,000 range, practice facilities (2 courts) and offices included (basically they plan to move everything in west pine over to the new arena) & groundbreaking deadline sometime in August. He said that they are still pushing hard to raise money and was appealing to students to talk the arena up. Apparently costs have risen a few million since when the plans first took shape and that's slowing things down. I think he said the current fundraising number is $26 million. Also, student govt. decided to donate $5000 to the arena project to show support. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidnark Posted February 18, 2006 Author Share Posted February 18, 2006 Darren are you on the SGA executive board? If so, how far back have you kept records? My name signature should be all over the resolutions passed in the early to mid-90's. I have some great memories from the old SGA days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenpais Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 David, I'll check and see .. I'm pretty sure we have records from back then. I'm presuming David Nark is your real name. I'll let you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidnark Posted February 18, 2006 Author Share Posted February 18, 2006 Add a polish twist onto the end. If you find it, you will know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlumniFan Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 Sounds like the cat is out of the bag! Of course everyone was sworn to secrecy...so much for that!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SluSignGuy Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 Any word on if the smaller size would still allow for Arena Football or Soccer? One hope of mine for the Arena was that it could steal the Steamers or the Rage (charging them lower rent, but rent nonetheless). I could of sworn that in some of the original designs this was a possiblity, but arena.slu.edu doesn't have anything like this. I think SLU can make some pretty pennies by being the Family Arena of St. Louis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidnark Posted February 18, 2006 Author Share Posted February 18, 2006 I would think that they would still work configuration-wise. In regard to attendance, 10,000 seats should be more than adequate for arena football and indoor soccer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluecrewfinance Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 By the way, student fundraising seems to be a route that admin is interested in...um, how much beyond 26k do they think I have laying around? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pakapablo Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 Bernie Miklasz confirms upcoming arena announcement in his Bernie Bits column this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonwich Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 Pan Nark, being unpolished, of course meant to tell you to look for a "Polish" twist. basamanowicz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 Fundraising will be on going for this project until the day the door opens. The school will probably eventually get the $35 million but the naming rights might be a different story. I hope the seating capacity does not dip to 10,000 but it will be what it will be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUNATE Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 10,000 would be more than enough for Arena football or indoor soccer, but we won't get both. You have to figure anyone looking to buy the blues is also thinking NBA (especially Checketts) and that they'll have a team here within five years. The only thing that gets displaced by that tenant is some concerts and Steamers Soccer. So we can pick those up on our schedule and keep them from going to the Family arena. That means there isn't going to be room for an AFL team at Savvis, but we don't have a local owner and I doubt one is going to surface to put a team in a 10K facility. I don't count the rage because those leagues pop up and fold every other year. My only question in all of this is: what happens to West Pine? Saint Louis University Hall of Fame and museum? Intramural sports? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 First of all - when it was posted above that offices from West Pine were going to be moved to the arena - did they mean all offices including all coaches from all sports and the AD? If not then West Pine will be needed for those who don't go. Second, West Pine is on the National Registry and can not be torn down or modified without approval from that Board. So, it will be used for something. Truth is from a visual standpoint it would be best to be torn down for the overall campus setting - just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUNATE Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 I wouldn't want it torn down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box and Won Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 Hey, you're the finance guy - maybe you could set up an arena slush fund. (p.s. I just like using the term "slush fund.") Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box and Won Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 I actually like the way West Pine fits in with the rest of the campus. My suggestion for its future reuse: convert it to the media lab that the school of communication is pushing for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenpais Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 Fr. Biondi was talking about making it the new ITS hub, or maybe just another rec center facility for the students .. or maybe anything else .. its really out in the open for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLUNATE Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 It would make a pretty nice addition to simon rec....more court pace, more cardio theatres.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billikenmetz Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 I would like to see SLU set up intramural championships for basketball, soccer, etc at the Anhesuer (SP) Busch Pavillion (which should be the name of the Arena), just like Notre Dame has their inter-hall football championships on the hallowed turf of ND Stadium. Also, West Pine could be the site of regular intramural games or Greek League championship games. People within the SLU Rec don't use their heads, so we need to push for these things. I'd also like to see West Pine fitted with some sort of removable astroturf for baseball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iggy Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 They could convert it back to stables as I believe was its' original purpose. It could house the SLU Polo Team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeseman Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 As long as there are good uses for it then fine - it is hard for me to see how its location enhances the campus. It sits out farther than any other building in the Mall and blocks the clean crisp look of that area. But like I said, I doubt that you could get clearance to tear it down so if people can make good use of it then fine. One thing to keep in mind - once the teams, coaches and AD move out - if that is what is going to happen - the building will not get the care it has gotten in the past. It has to be expensive to maintain and HVAC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billikenmetz Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 Tear it down and put up a dorm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bauman Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 My uncle Bob would be terribly disappointed! It, like the Chouteau House (or whatever they call it now), is a rich part of the history of the school/campus, and provides some real character vs. all the new modern look-alike buildings, which have appeared since Busch Memorial Center in the late 60s. If they want another cent of my $$$, Bauman/Eberhardt stands! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinfootes Posted February 18, 2006 Share Posted February 18, 2006 I sure hope the new building isn't configured for indoor soccer or hockey. There would be WAY too many seats behind the basket. Let's hope the true layout of the building has most of the seats along the court. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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